Holly

“God doesn't protect people from knives, sweetheart. That's why God gave us other people, so we can protect each other.”
― Fredrik Backman, Anxious People

“When you’re looking for love and it seems like you might not ever find it, remember you probably have access to an abundance of it already, just not the romantic kind. This kind of love might not kiss you in the rain or propose marriage. But it will listen to you, inspire and restore you. It will hold you when you cry, celebrate when you’re happy, and sing All Saints with you when you’re drunk. You have so much to gain and learn from this kind of love. You can carry it with you forever. Keep it as close to you as you can.”
― Dolly Alderton, Everything I Know About Love

“For a bonus, she asked them: Who knew the origins of the word? “Which word?” someone said. “Panic,” said T.J. But no one raised a hand. She explained. It came from the Greek god Pan: the god of the woods. He liked to trick people, to confuse and disorient them until they lost their bearings, and their minds. To panic, said T.J., was to make an enemy of the forest. To stay calm was to be its friend.”
― Liz Moore, The God of the Woods

“in the last thousand years:
empires have risen and fallen
and I have loved you,
plagues have leaped from rat to daughter
and I have loved you
humanity has conquered sea and sky
and I have loved you
kings have been slain and forests razed and witches
burned and and gold struck and maps redrawn and
fortunes traded and volcanoes erupted and moons
landed and cathedrals sculpted and rivers dirtied
and masterpieces painted and battlefields bloodied
and I love you,
and I have loved you,
and I will love you.”
― Laura Steven, Our Infinite Fates